Contribution of Crescenzio Sepe

Basilica of Saint Bartholomew on the Island in the Tiber 1st July 2009

Resisting evil and violence

A presentation of the new edition of Andrea Riccardi’s book

“The century of Martyrdom”

Transcript of Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe’s presentation

I thank Andrea Riccardi who invited me here and gave me the chance to appreciate this book. It is one of those books you can read continuously without interruption. The more you read….even if you are tired, the tiredness passes! It’s because this book involves you, it grabs you and you feel the need to carry on right to the end.

At the end of the last paragraph in the introduction on page 3, professor Riccardi asks the question: “Is martyrdom also the story of the twenty first century?” The response comes towards the end of the book on page 434. “The history of new martyrs is not over. It did not end in 2000”.

Why? Probably because there is a law of history in which the misterium iniquitatis and the mystery of good come into conflict with each other. It is an almost perennial conflict, that seems to form part of the human experience. As there is a christian dimension to life, a theological dimension if you like, that the martyr is someone who is integral to being christian, living as a christian and therefore is integral to the history of christianity.

Christ was the first martyr. It is the unfinished history of centuries, like a red line marking out the history of the Church and therefore involving the history of humanity. It is a red line written in blood.

I remember a scene from a film. Christ is dying on the cross. It starts to rain. The screen shows Christ’s scarred ribs, from where Christ’s blood forms a small stream, which mixing with the rainwater turns it red. This stream, small at first, grows and grows and grows a little at a time. In a way this is the history of the Church. Our Lord considered blessed those who are persecuted: “Blessed are you when they persecute you in my name.”

The beauty of this book, as professor Riccardi maintains, is that it offers a fresco in which, great historian that he is, he has wanted to put together the history of twentieth century christianity. Above all he has wanted to represent the variety and multiple types of martyrdom that have taken place in this century. He has restored this history in its completeness.

I remember the words of John Paul II: “When they are able to open the archives on this century-he said, prophetic in this as well-you will see that the history of martyrdom in the twenty first century is no less great than the story of martyrdom in the centuries that went before.”

Personally I have had confirmation of this during my time as prefect of the Congregation for Propaganda. One day I received a short message. It was written in the blood of a bishop who gave notice that he was still alive. It had taken a long time to arrive. The message read: “I’m still alive. Pray for me.”

The stories in this book will be ones to take up again and to republish. There will be other centuries of life to add to this volume, because as Saviano has said, this is a text on which to meditate deeply.

To grow in memory. The growth of memory. We cannot forget, we must remember, because from memory we draw life. In this way we are nourished in order to grow, so we too can become witnesses.

There is no need for large discussions. There is a need for witnesses. This book on witnesses from the twentieth century who we may have known about in some way, offers a fundamental historical standpoint. It is true, realistic, and certainly encouraging for those called as christians to be witnesses.

So there are many incredible stories. As Saviano has said, none of has a vocation to die, but sometimes faith provides a courage which helps us to win, to overcome the risks.

The story of the nuns in the Congo who became ill one after the other as they looked after the sick. It is the risk of a Christian, who knows they must live works of charity, and is conscious of the need to take risks.

Modern forms of giving witness are also included here. A chapter is dedicated to violence and the various ways it is organised. In some ways violence is asserted more and more through the various mafias, camorras, ‘ndranghetas who in turn create further witnesses. This evil, this cancer within society, also finds witnesses to offer opposition.

At all levels, starting with the Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, bishops, priests, religious women and men, the laity, people take risks. These people are witnesses who accept that will take on responsibilities. They do so in the name of truth, in the name of justice, in the name of Christ. They continue on their course despite the risks. Living, reacting, resisting and at the end winning over evil.

It is absurd to say that evil can triumph. Evil is defeated with good.

You must read this book! It’ll do you a load of good I assure you. It’s done me a load of good. It’ll do you a load of good because in some way we feel at one with others and so the wish to become witnesses will increase within us. Not only as witnesses to Christ, but to the beauty, the justice, the peace and the joy which comes from Our Lord.

You’ll see that Andrea is absolutely right when he says that we all seem defeated and weak, because it is in meekness and living peaceably that weakness becomes our strength. In the end we feel victorious. Otherwise the Church would have been finished for goodness knows how long! We feel triumphant because the martyrs continue to enrich the Church, to enrich Gods’ kingdom.

Finally, I want to thank Andrea Riccardi who has written this book. He is also a witness through his faith, through his ideas and through his personal commitment. He is a witness writing about witnesses. This is an authentic book. Thank you.